Reports: RHP Max Scherzer joining Blue Jays on 1-year, $15.5M deal

Field Level Media|published: Thu 30th January, 18:02 2025

MLB: Texas Rangers at St. Louis Cardinals

Jul 30, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays are signing eight-time All-Star right-hander Max Scherzer to a one-year, $15.5 million contract, according to multiple reports on Thursday.

Scherzer, 40, is a three-time Cy Young Award winner who became a free agent after an injury-plagued 2024 season with the Texas Rangers. He was 2-4 with a 3.95 ERA, 40 strikeouts and 10 walks in 43 1/3 innings over nine starts.

He got a late start (June 23) to the campaign after offseason back surgery, then dealt with right thumb pain, shoulder fatigue and a season-ending hamstring strain in September.

Scherzer is 216-112 with a 3.16 ERA for his 17-year career. He ranks second among active pitchers and 11th all-time with 3,407 strikeouts. He also is second among active pitchers in wins, innings pitched (2,878) and games started (457), fourth in shutouts (five) and ERA, and fifth in complete games (12).

He earned Cy Young awards with the Detroit Tigers in 2013 and the Washington Nationals in 2016 and 2017. He won World Series with the Nationals in 2019 as well as with the Rangers in 2023.

Toronto will be Scherzer's seventh club after he played for the Arizona Diamondbacks (2008-09), Tigers (2010-14), Nationals (2015-21), Los Angeles Dodgers (2021), New York Mets (2022-23) and Rangers.

--Field Level Media